Sourdough compositions

ABSTRACT

A sourdough composition is provided in the form of a flowable powder for the introduction of acetic acid and lactic acid into bread doughs and other bakery products. The composition is preferably stabilized against premature loss of acetic acid by intimate dispersion with a minor quantity of a normally solid edible fatty material.

BACKGROUND

The standard procedure for making sourdough bread involves a longprocess. The basis for the process is fermentation of a wheatflour-based dough by bacterial organisms which have the ability toproduce lactic and acetic acids. This fermentation process is maintainedby daily additions of flour and other nutrient materials such as nonfatdry milk and occasionally potato flour. Portions of this "ferment" arethen used by adding them to standard French bread or sourdough breadformulae. An example of a French sourdough bread formula is as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        French Bread                                                                  Straight Dough Process                                                                         Pounds                                                       ______________________________________                                        White Flour      100                                                          Water            55-58                                                        Salt             2                                                            Sourdough ferment                                                                              20                                                           ______________________________________                                    

One of the difficulties attendant to the operation of this sourdoughbread process is the need to maintain perfect fermentation conditionsfor the bacterial organisms and to make regular additions to the fermentevery twenty-four hours.

The bacterial organisms commonly go through changes which frequentlyresults in lowered production of acetic and lactic acids. The baker,therefore, is faced with considerable difficulty in maintaining aconstant flavor level in sourdough breads produced in this fashion on aday-to-day basis.

The flavor of sourdough bread is based on its high acidity due to aceticand lactic acids. The total acidity of sourdough bread is roughly tentimes that of conventional bread. Of this acidity, the acetic acid isthe more important of the two acids in providing the characteristicsourdough flavor. Acetic acid is also the most volatile of the twoacids. This volatility is probably responsible for the variation in theflavor of sourdough breads produced by the conventional process. Thevolatility of the acetic acid causes its escape from the sourdough breadferment; this characteristic is also responsible for its evaporationduring the oven baking step in making sourdough bread.

A convenient and safe and efficient sourdough bread compound which thebaker would desire is a dry compound, one which can be handled with easelike flour. It is also one which can be packed in standardized packingmaterials and shipped long distances without loss of acetic and lacticacid. Such compounds of this type have not been available for commercialuse.

OBJECTS

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved sourdough composition in the form of a flowable powder for theintroduction of acetic acid and lactic acid into bread doughs includingwhite breads, rye breads, and other speciality breads, particularly thatclass of white breads known as "sourdough bread" of which there are twomajor classes, (a) French bread, and (b) San Francisco sourdough bread.

Another object of the invention is to provide compositions for improvingthe flavor of standard white bread.

Still another object of the invention is to provide compositions toimprove the flavor of yeast-raised products including breads, rolls andbuns.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a composition forimproving the flavor of chemically leavened products including biscuits,pancakes and waffles. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sourdough composition in the form of a flowable powder for theintroduction of acetic acid and lactic acid into bread doughs and otherbakery products is prepared comprising minor quantities of acetic acidand lactic acid absorbed on a major quantity of a finely divided solidedible absorptive starchy polysaccharide or cellulose.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention theaforesaid compositions are stabilized against premature loss of aceticacid by intimate dispersion of the components of the composition with aminor quantity of a normally solid edible fatty material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For the purpose of the invention the quantity of acetic acid ispreferably within the range of 2% to 15% by weight of the composition.The quantity of lactic acid is preferably within the range of 1% to 8%by weight of the composition. The weight ratio of acetic acid to lacticacid is preferably at least 1:1 and is preferably within the range of1:1 to 7:1.

If a stabilizing fatty material is used in accordance with the preferredembodiment of the invention it is preferably a fatty material having amelting point of at least 90° F. and the amounts employed are preferablywithin the range of 2.5% to 10% by weight of the composition.

In the practice of the invention the acetic acid is usually employed inthe form of glacial acetic acid. The lactic acid is usually employed inthe form of an aqueous solution having an 80% by weight concentration oflactic acid. However, a part of the lactic acid can be supplied by usinga commercial dairy product containing lactic acid such as acid whey andin that event the quantity of lactic acid, which is added per se in thepreparation of the composition, can be as low as 0.2% by weight. Aportion of the lactic acid can also be replaced with another ediblecarboxylic acid such as, for example, fumaric acid and/or citric acid.These acids contain 3 to 6 carbon atoms and 1 to 3 carboxy groups andmay or may not be substituted with a hydroxyl group.

The starchy polysaccharides can consist of extracted starches such aswheat and corn as well as tapioca starch and potato starch and thecorresponding flours, such as wheat flour and corn flour as well asstarches and flours derived from waxy maize, rice flour, and othercereal starches and flours. The starchy polysaccharide can begelatinized or ungelatinized. A preferred type of starchy polysaccharidefor the purpose of the invention is pregelatinized wheat starch. Iffinely divided cellulose is used as the absorbent, good results areobtained by the use of an edible wood flour. One such type of flourwhich is available commercially is Solka-Floc SW40. Other cellulosicabsorbents which can be employed are methyl cellulose and carboxy methylcellulose.

In general, the starchy polysaccharides and the cellulosic absorbentswill have a particle size within the range of 20 to 350 mesh (StandardSieve series). The Solka-Floc has a particle size of approximately 30mesh.

In some cases, for example where hydroxylated lecithin is used as anemulsifier and a wood flour such as Solka-Floc is employed as theabsorbent, it is desirable to add a small amount of an anti-oxidant, forinstance 0.1% to 2% by weight of butylated hydroxy toluene (HBT) orbutylated hydroxy anisole (BHA). These are recognized food antioxidants.

Lecithin, hydroxylated lecithin and the mono- and diglycerides have thedual function of acting as stabilizers and also as emulsifiers.

Examples of fatty materials which may be used in preparing thecompositions of the invention are lecithin, hydroxylated lecithin, mono-and diglycerides and highly hydrogenated vegetable oil shortenings, andsimilar fatty compositions. These fatty materials serve to hold theacetic acid and lactic acid in the absorbent, thereby acting asstabilizing agents, and also reducing, if not completely preventing, theevaporation of these acids during the oven baking stage of the sourdoughbread process. For the purpose of the invention the fatty materialsemployed as stabilizing agents in these compositions are normally solidat ambient temperatures of 25° C. and have a melting point of at least90° F. (about 32° C.).

The invention will be further illustrated but is not limited by thefollowing examples in which the quantities are given by weight unlessotherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE I

A flowable sourdough composition is prepared from the followingingredients:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

The Atmul 500 and Kao-Rich are warmed to a point where they arecompletely liquid. The lactic acid is then added, followed by the aceticacid, forming a dispersion. The dispersion is then blended with thestarch in a standard ribbon blender by pouring it into the gelatinizedstarch while the mixer is in operation, or by spraying it into thestarch with the mixer in operation.

The resulting mixture is then placed in polyethylene-lined bags orcartons for use in making sourdough bread.

EXAMPLE II

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Wheat flour                 77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE III

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    38.75                                             Wheat flour                 38.75                                                                         100.00%                                           ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE IV

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that pre-gelatinizedcorn starch is used instead of the wheat starch. A wide variety ofpre-gelatinized corn starches is available commercially and of theseboth the starches from dent corn and waxy maize are used.

EXAMPLE V

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         2.5                                               Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    87.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE VI

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         15.0                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    75.0                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE VII

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  1.0                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound)                                                                       2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    79.0                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE VIII

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  5.0                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    75.0                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE IX

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            1.0                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           6.5                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE X

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            5.0                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           2.5                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XI

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           1.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    81.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XII

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Lecithin                    2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XIII

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Hydroxylated lecithin       2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XIV

The following example illustrates the preparation of a flowablesourdough powder composition without the addition of the fatty materialas a stabilizing agent. The ingredients employed are as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredients      Percent by Weight                                            ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid                                                                            12.5                                                         Lactic acid (80% strength)                                                                     2.5                                                          Gelatinized wheat starch                                                                       85.0                                                                          100.0%                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The acetic and lactic acids are mixed and this mixture is then added tothe gelatinized wheat starch in a rapidly-turning ribbon blender ofstainless steel construction. The addition of the acids is made bypouring or by spraying.

In this formula, wheat flour and corn flour and pregelatinized cornstarches are applicable as indicated in the previous examples. Thegelatinized starches are superior to the wheat flour and corn flour,since they absorb the acids much more readily.

It should be understood that in all of these examples, gelatinized wheatflour and gelatinized corn flour may also be used in place of either/orgelatinized wheat starch and gelatinized corn starch. Furthermore,tapioca starch, gelatinized or ungelatinized, potato starch, gelatinizedor ungelatinized, and potato flour can be used.

The stabilizing materials serve to encapsulate the acetic and lacticacids and to prevent lumping and packing of the product during storageand transportation.

The following emulsifier compounds have been found to be useful:ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides, propylene glycol mono- and diestersof fat forming fatty acids, calcium stearyl-2-lactylate, and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fat forming fattyacids.

EXAMPLE XV

This example illustrates the use of edible cellulose compounds asabsorbents which can partially or completely supplant the starch orflour compounds employed in the preceding examples. The process iscarried out in the same way as in Example I using the followingingredients:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Hydroxylated lecithin       2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Edible wood flour (Solka-Floc SW40)                                                                       77.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XVI

The procedure is the same as in Example I except that the followingingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  2.5                                               Hydroxylated lecithin       2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Tenox fat antioxidant (BHA) 1.0                                               Edible wood flour (Solka-Floc SW40)                                                                       76.5                                                                          100.0%                                            ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XVII

The process is the same as in Example I except that the acids arecombined and then mixed directly with the starch and dry whey which arepreviously blended together. In this case the dry whey supplies aportion of the lactic acid. The following ingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                        Ingredients          Percent by Weight                                        ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid  2.5                                                      Lactic acid (80% strength)                                                                         0.25                                                     Gelatinized wheat starch                                                                           82.25                                                    Acid whey (commercial dairy product)                                                               15.00                                                                         100.00%                                                  ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE XVIII

This example illustrates the preparation of a sourdough compositionpowder in which the lactic acid is partially replaced with citric andfumaric acids. The following ingredients are used:

    ______________________________________                                                                    Percent                                           Ingredients                 by Weight                                         ______________________________________                                        Glacial acetic acid         12.5                                              Lactic acid (80% strength)  1.0                                               Fumaric acid                0.75                                              Citric acid                 0.75                                              Mono- and diglyceride fat compound (Atmul 500)                                                            2.5                                               High melting point vegetable oil fat (Kao-Rich)                                                           5.0                                               Gelatinized wheat starch    77.5                                                                          100.00%                                           ______________________________________                                    

BREAD BAKING EXAMPLES

The following examples illustrate the use of the compositions of theinvention in making different types of bread.

    ______________________________________                                        French Bread                                                                  Straight Dough Process                                                        Ingredients              Pounds                                               ______________________________________                                        Water flour               50-58                                               Salt                     1                                                    Yeast                     2-3                                                 Sourdough composition powder of Example I                                                              3                                                    ______________________________________                                    

The dough temperature out of the mixer should be 80° F. The dough shouldbe mixed to the "breaking point". Do not use yeast nutrients. Floor timefor the dough should be no more than 20 minutes. Make up immediately.Proof should be 80-90 minutes for best results.

    ______________________________________                                        San Francisco Sourdough Bread                                                 Sponge and Dough Process                                                                        Sponge                                                      Ingredients       (lbs)     Dough (lbs)                                       ______________________________________                                        White flour       60        40                                                Water             variable  variable                                          Yeast             1.5-2.5                                                     Salt                        1.75                                              Sugar                       2                                                 Shortening                  1*                                                Sourdough composition powder                                                  of Example I                3                                                 Temperature       76° F.                                                                           79° F.                                     Time              33/4-4 hrs.                                                                             Mix the dough                                                                 to the breaking                                                               point. The floor                                                              time should be no                                                             longer than 20                                                                minutes. Open                                                                 the molder                                                                    sheeter rolls                                                                 to give less                                                                  pressure in order                                                             to develop an                                                                 open-textured                                                                 bread. Proof                                                                  the doughs for                                                                80-90 minutes                                                                 for best results.                                                             Bake as usual.                                    ______________________________________                                         *1 lb. if bread is sliced--otherwise, no shortening is required.         

Instead of the sourdough composition powder of Example I any of thesourdough composition powders described in the examples can be employedin a similar manner in the making of various types of bread.

For improving flavor in white bread, 1% of the sourdough bread base asshown in Example I is employed. The sourdough bread compound is addedwith the other ingredients in the mixer at the dough stage. One pound ofwater for each pound of sourdough powder composition is also added. Allother processing operations are unchanged. The flavor of the finishedbread is specifically improved.

Rye bread and other specialty breads are handled in a similar manner,that is, 1% to 3% of the sourdough powder composition is added to thestandard bread formula. The acids provided by the sourdough powdercompositon significantly improves the general flavor of the bread.

The efficiency and ease of handling provided by these sourdough powdercompositions described in the above examples is demonstrated in severalways. In making the breads described above, the addition of glacialacetic acid and commercial lactic acid to the bread and dough rolls in astandard commercial bakery is not practical. In fact, it may bedangerous to inexperienced personnel. The acids are difficult to handlebecause of their corrosiveness. Furthermore, unless the acids aredispersed and suspended on the materials described above, they will havea drastic retarding effect on the carbon dioxide-producing capacity ofbakers yeast. The result is that breads made from such doughs will bevery seriously lacking in loaf volume, in crust development, and will becommercially unsalable.

The preblending of the acids with the other ingredients in the sourdoughpowder compositions permits the yeast to ferment the sugars in theformula and the flour in a more normal fashion. Even under the best ofcircumstances, the dough fermentation is somewhat slowed when theconpositions of this invention are used. However, the retardation offermentation is well within practical limits in commercial bread baking.As a demonstration of this, the following results were obtained incomparative tests.

    __________________________________________________________________________              Bread Dough                                                                           Bread    pH of the                                          Formula   Mixing Time                                                                           Proofing Time                                                                          Finished Bread                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Standard Formula                                                              No Acids added                                                                          10.5 min.                                                                             60 min.  5.2                                                Sourdough Bread                                                               Powder composi-                                                               tion of Example I                                                             added     14.5     72      4.4                                                Liquid acetic and                                                             lactic acids added                                                            directly to bread                                                             dough     14.5    120      4.35                                               __________________________________________________________________________

The free acetic acid excessively retarded the proof time. Such use ofacetic acid would not be practical from a commercial standpoint. On theother hand, the sourdough powder composition provided the ability to addthe highly-flavorful acetic and lactic acids within commerciallyacceptable limits of bread baking operations.

It should be understood that in the above examples glacial acetic acidcan be supplanted by commercial or technical grades of acetic acidprovided they are food grades.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:
 1. A baking ingredient foruse in making sourdough bakery products, said baking ingredient being inthe form of a flowable powder for the introduction of acetic acid andlactic acid into bread doughs and other bakery products comprising minorquantities of acetic acid and lactic acid absorbed on a major quantityof a finely divided solid edible absorbent which is a starchpolysaccharide or an edible cellulosic material, such baking ingredientbeing stabilized against premature loss of acetic acid and lactic acid,by intimate dispersion with a minor quantity of a normally solid ediblefatty glyceride material sufficient to hold said acids in the absorbentand reduce evaporation of said acids during oven baking of saidsourdough bakery products, the quantity of acetic acid being within therange of 2% to 15% by weight and the quantity of lactic acid beingwithin the range of 1% to 8% by weight, and the weight ratio of aceticacid to lactic acid being at least 1:1.
 2. A baking ingredient asclaimed in claim 1 in which the quantity of normally solid edible fattymaterial is within the range of 2.5% to 10% by weight of thecomposition.
 3. A baking ingredient as claimed in claim 1 in which thestarchy polysaccharide is a gelatinized wheat starch.
 4. A bakingingredient as claimed in claim 1 in which the lactic acid is partiallyreplaced with a compound from the group consisting of acid whey, fumaricacid and citric acid provided that the amount of lactic acid is at least0.2% by weight of said baking ingredient.
 5. A baking ingredient for usein making sourdough baking products, said baking ingredient being in theform of a flowable powder comprising 2% to 15% by weight glacial aceticacid, 1% to 8% by weight lactic acid, the weight ratio of acetic acid tolactic acid being within the range of 1:1 to 7:1, a normally solidvegetable oil fat having a melting point of at least 32° C., anemulsifier selected from the group consisting of lecithin, hydroxylatedlecithin and mono- and diglycerides, the quantity of said vegetable oilfat and said emulsifier both being within the range of 2.5% to 10% byweight and the remainder of the composition consisting essentially of afinely divided solid edible absorbent which is a starchy polysaccharideor an edible cellulosic material having a particle size within the rangeof 20 to 350 mesh into which the acetic acid and lactic acid areabsorbed.
 6. A baking ingredient as claimed in claim 5 in which saidabsorbent is a starchy polysaccharide.
 7. A baking ingredient as claimedin claim 6 in which said starchy polysaccharide is a pregelatinizedwheat starch.
 8. A baking ingredient as claimed in claim 5 in which saidabsorbent is a cellulosic material selected from the group consisting ofedible wood flour, carboxy methyl cellulose and methyl cellulose.